Multidimensional Evaluation of the Changeability of Interlinked Production Processes with Material Flow Simulation

This article introduces an integrated planning approach to evaluate the changeability of interlinked production processes ex ante using material flow simulation and scenario analysis. Based on the results process chains can be configured robust to future requirements, because changeability enablers for a quick and efficient adoption can be installed systematically. A major advantage of simulating multiple stages of a production process is not only that the changeability of single processes is evaluated, but also the interdependencies within the entire process chain are considered in the evaluation and the configuration of improved processes.